JanWhen You Reach Me

201004
JanWhen You Reach Me
Ratings by: Jennifer
Language: 2

Violence: 1

Sexual Content: 1

Adult Themes:0

Title: When You Reach Me

Author: Rebecca Stead

Ratings Explanation

Language: Around 10 instances of profanity. “Hell” used a hand full of times.

Violence: Sal is punched in the stomach and nose. A man is hit and killed by a truck.

Sexual Content: An innocent kiss.

Synopsis

Sal and Miranda, Miranda and Sal. That’s how it always was, until one day it wasn’t anymore. Best friends since early childhood, Sal and Miranda are inseparable, but one day Sal gets punched by another boy on the way home from school and he walks out of Miranda’s life with no explanation. Then she starts receiving mysterious notes that seem to predict the future. The first note tells her that someone is coming to save her friend’s life, but which one of her friends is in danger? How do all of the dots connect? Filled with emotion, this realistic representation of a 6th grader’s life in 1979 New York City will touch the heart of all kinds of readers.

I heard Nancy Pearl review this book on NPR one morning, voicing her opinion that it should win the Newbery Medal. With such an enthusiastic endorsement I checked it out from the library and my 12-year-old promptly commandeered it and read it in a few hours. It took me longer, of course, as I have much less discretionary reading time than she, but it was worth every minute. I thoroughly enjoyed this exceptional book.


Categories: Grades 4-5, Grades 6-7, Grades 8-9
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